International Vegan Cuisine Month is all about inviting people to try vegan food and creating awareness of the many options.

Author: Jasmine Lowe

February is International Vegan Cuisine Month. The American Vegan Society started International Vegan Cuisine Month to help bring awareness to how easy it can be for people to switch from eating meat to eating only plants. This month is usually celebrated by everyone who’s adopted an animal-free lifestyle and a 100 percent plant-based diet. 

How It All Began

Veganism and vegetarianism have been around for more than 2,000 years, according to historians. There’s evidence that societies in Ancient India, Greece, and even Italy had dietary habits similar to today’s vegetarians. The famous Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras followed a vegetarian diet and spoke about treating all animals with kindness. The religious leader Siddhārtha Gautama, or Buddha, also advocated for a vegetarian diet among his followers.

Many religious groups, leaders, and philosophers all promoted a lifestyle of compassion and non-violence towards animals. Plant-based eating is deeply rooted in religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. These religions believe in the concept of Ahimsa, which means kindness and non-violence toward all living things. There’s also a sect of 7th Day Adventists who practice vegetarianism because of a Bible passage. The church highlights a passage (Genesis 1:29) saying that God created plants, seeds, and fruits to be human food, and therefore human diets should be entirely plant-based. 

The Plant-Based Movement

 Vegetarianism became a full-fledged movement outside of religion in the 19th century when prominent Europeans would publicly object to the use of eggs and dairy. Meat-free communities in different countries popped up during this time. American Presbyterian minister, Sylvester Graham, suffered a short illness that led to a ‘Graham Diet’ in the 1830s, which is completely meatless and focuses on the consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

By the 20th century, veganism was a commonly established lifestyle for many people around the globe. In 1944, the vegan movement gave way to World Vegan Day on November 1 and World Vegan Month in November.

Naturally Vegan Cuisine

 Many cultural cuisines have always been vegan without using the term. They are usually animal-free because of religion and beliefs tied with the culture of the cuisine or focus more on the health of the people over the food itself.

Jamaican Ital cuisine is celebrated by those in the Rastafari movement developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. The cuisine is based on natural living and the principle of Ital, which is about preserving the earth and eating food that comes from the land. Ital derives from the word “vital” and states that food should be natural, organic, unprocessed, and free of additives, chemicals, and meat.

Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine is full of naturally plant-based dishes. This is due to the fasting tradition in the Orthodox Christian religion. Orthodox Christians abstain from all animal products for around 200 days each year and replace these animal products with plant-based foods. Traditional Orthodox Christians usually fast every Wednesday and Friday, during Lent, in the days leading up to Christmas, and during other religious holidays.

Israeli cuisine is usually vegan-friendly or vegetarian. Falafel, which is vegan, is the most common fast food in Israel. There are also many other staple dishes that are vegan because of the population. Israel has the highest percentage of vegans globally, with around 5.2 percent of the population considering themselves vegan and 13 percent as vegetarian. 

 Indian cuisine is usually vegetarian or vegan due to the dominance of the religions Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism concentrated in the country. India is considered to have the lowest rate of meat consumption in the world. Researchers estimate that there are more than 400 million people that identify as vegetarian, making Indian food the most plant-based friendly cuisine in the world.

Vegan-Friendly Cuisine

There are many other cuisines that are either vegan-friendly or that can be easily made into a fully vegan dish for dinner. They are traditionally heavy in fruits and vegetables and rely on spices and flavors rather than meat and dairy products. They are mostly animal-free without drawing attention to the fact that they are, and are some of the best options for vegans to choose when they are picking the restaurant.

Thailand cuisine is heavy on a variety of curries, rice dishes, and noodle meals that employ vegetables or tofu instead of meat. Thai cuisine often uses coconut milk as a substitute for dairy products such as milk or cream. This gives a rich, creamy base for curries and soups while still being vegan-friendly. You do have to be mindful of foods seasoned with fish sauce. However, ordering staples such as Thai red curry with tofu and eggplant, as well as northern-style Thai coconut soup, are the go-to options for vegans traveling in Thailand.

Chinese cuisine is heavy on fresh vegetables, especially in the countryside. Noodles, rice, tofu, veggies, and spring rolls are all staples of Chinese cuisine and are suitable for vegans. You can always try regular or fried spring rolls, and they can include a variety of fillings. Veggie spring rolls come in a variety of flavors, including cabbage, carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, and bean sprouts. 

Indonesian cuisine is pretty diverse, and it is mostly distinguished by vivid colors and bold flavors. The cuisine has an abundance of vegetables and grains, allowing for simple vegetarian modifications. Gado-Gado is a colorful salad that includes potatoes, long beans, bean sprouts, spinach, maize, and cabbage, as well as a side of peanut sauce. Gado-Gado is a go-to dish to try if you have never had Indonesian food.

Japanese cuisine has everything ranging from vegetable tempura to sushi with pickled vegetables, noodles, rice, and edamame meals, and hot pots with tofu and fresh vegetables. Vegans can order edamame as an appetizer and enjoy the delicious mix of steamed young soybeans sprinkled with sea salt or miso noodles.

Korean cuisine can easily be vegan if you know what to order. Many traditional Korean meals, such as bibimbap, which contains rice combined with veggies and gochujang, and japchae, or stir-fried glass noodles, can be cooked without meat. Banchan, or side dishes, are ideal for vegans because they frequently contain stir-fried or pickled veggies such as kimchi, pickled daikon, mung bean, and stewed potatoes. Vegans can also order tofu stew, mandu, steamed dumplings, and japchae, or stir-fried sweet potato noodles.

Southern Italian cuisine is more than just pasta. If you are vegan in southern Italy, then you can find vegan-friendly Italian food such as Ciambotta, or vegetable stew, and Pasta e Fagioli, a pasta and beans dish. You can also order Minestra, which has cabbage, leafy greens, and white beans, or Roasted Red Pepper Antipasto.

Mexican cuisine is a tasty and filling dinner option for vegans. Fresh veggies, tomatoes, and avocados are heavy in the majority of dishes that are comprised of beans, rice, and maize. Ditch the cheese and sour cream for salsa and guacamole, or substitute it with vegan cheeses and dairy-free sour cream.

International Vegan Cuisine Month is all about inviting people to try vegan food and creating awareness of the many options. Vegans continue to gather together in February to raise awareness of this lifestyle and show people how easy it is to switch to a diet avoiding all meat, dairy, eggs, honey, and other animal-based products. You can celebrate International Vegan Cuisine Month as well by visiting Vkind.com, downloading the app, and finding spots serving vegan cuisine near you!

Works Cited

VEGAN STATISTICS – What is the Status? Redefine Meat. https://www.redefinemeat.com/blog/vegan-statistics/#:~:text=FAQs,million%20people%20are%20vegan%20globally.

Why People Go Vegan: 2019 Global Survey Results.  McCormick, Benjamin.  M, Hish. Vomad. https://vomadlife.com/blogs/news/why-people-go-vegan-2019-global-survey-results